Where would we be in the fashion world if designers and their teams never dared to do things differently, to think outside the box, and to change the equation? Without the experimentation with resources, inputs, and techniques that is a key tenet of the industry, it is unlikely that Coco Chanel would have dared to rethink the female silhouette without the corset. Schiaparelli would never have suggested a collaboration with Salvador Dalí, and the lobster, among many other surrealist icons, would never have made its way into the fashion world. What if André Courrèges had never thought that PVC, neoprene, and patent leather had the potential to be part of everyday wardrobes? The list goes on, and fortunately it is a very long one.
Experimentation in the world of fashion fabrics continues to fascinate us today, and best of all, it is experimentation that keeps the novelty and surprise alive, and continues to bring new looks to this industry that are then, in most cases, popularized in the mass market.
Experimentation was key to shaping 20th century fashion, from silhouettes to graphics to materials. In the picture on the left, Coco Chanel wears one of her sailor shirt and pants looks. In the center, the classic Schiaparelli lobster dress, the result of an alliance with Salvador Dalí, and on the right, a PVC dress by André Courrèges.
Experimentation is more alive than ever. A few months ago, Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain, and his team developed a unique appliqué technique for a dress for the Met Gala. Sand and microcrystals were pressed directly onto the fabric, which was shaped over a plaster cast of the corset of the singer, Tyla, who wore the design. And how could we forget the closing of Coperni’s Spring/Summer 2023 runway show? Two men sprayed the model Bella Hadid and, before everyone’s eyes, the liquid changed its texture on Bella’s body and within seconds turned into the fabric of a dress. And then there was the Autumn/Winter 2023 collection by Anrealage, a Japanese company founded by Kunihiko Morinaga, a designer with a futuristic approach. His experimental work led him to develop fabrics that can change color in response to light.
Advanced technological developments that bring the future closer to the present are showcased in haute couture and the “Big Four” fashion weeks. In the picture on the left, singer Tyla wears a dress whose main material is sand. The photo in the middle shows the closing performance of the Coperni runway in 2023, and the photo on the right shows Anrealage brand garments with colors that react to light.
The resources for experimentation are now as numerous as the design possibilities: silhouettes can be explored, there are many ways to intervene in fabrics, different inputs and materials can be used, and ancestral techniques and their applicability to fabrics and textiles can be researched, to name just a few of the many alternatives available to creative designers. Bogotá Fashion Week 2024 in Colombia was a good example of this. At the event, many companies stood out for their experimentation and exploration of specific resources and techniques. A good example was Tejidos Rebanca, whose work in artisanal techniques such as horizontal loom weaving, hand spinning, plant dyeing, and wet felting and dry felting, resulted in a collection that was applauded by all and demonstrated the power that mastering and experimenting with a technique can bring to a piece of clothing. La Petite Mort, on its part, continued its exploration of weaves, the use of fabrics with attractive textures, disruptive sartorial silhouettes, and large-format embroidery and prints; the latter with versions of prints that are increasingly elevated in terms of design, but also printed on fabrics with different types of sheen.
In the image on the left, Tejidos Rebanca delves into artisanal techniques involving textiles and dyeing, combined with contemporary silhouettes to merge the two languages. La Petite Mort presents a disruptive concept involving printing, fabrics, and the potential of fabrics in risky silhouettes. Photographs: courtesy of Bogotá Fashion Week.
On a more urban note, we find Joeg, a brand not afraid to experiment with materials and silhouettes. Right now it’s canvas, leather, wool, flannel, and linen mixed with napping and liquid repellent technologies in pieces where the construction is complex and full of nuances. For Jose Julián Guerrero, the contrast of textures is fundamental in his creations, even more so when they come from other worlds, such as industrial clothing or fabrics with liquid-repellent technologies, which he often incorporates in his trench coats, jackets, and windbreakers. The graphics and color management of Alado and Cala de la Cruz also deserve an important place on the list, each with different approaches, intensifying and exploring motifs and playing with colors. Alado builds a Caribbean imaginary with colorful maxi prints. This firm is a pioneer in Colombia in the use of fabrics made with yarns from recycled PET bottles. And Cala de la Cruz takes its main hallmarks one step further: prints and color. Its breezy graphics are bigger, color blocks are the main protagonists, and, for the first time, the brand uses lurex and sequins to add sparkle to garments.
Brands use a variety of textiles with different capabilities and characteristics to achieve specific effects. This is an important resource that gives creatives a wide range of possibilities to explore. From left to right: Joeg, Alado, and Cala de la Cruz. Photographs: courtesy of Bogotá Fashion Week.
The question now is how much you are willing to risk by experimenting with your brand. After all, differentiation adds value, and even more so when the consumer can clearly see the results. Have you explored our portfolio recently? Experimentation is part of our daily work and we are constantly developing new textiles to provide you with the ideal inputs for taking your collections further. Soon you will hear more about our new launch: Microtec Magic, a fabric that is a print when wet and a solid when dry, offering greater versatility in a single garment.
